Warrington Town cling to promotion lifeline (From Warrington Guardian)

Warrington Town cling to promotion lifeline

10:19am Monday 4th March 2013 in Sport

WARRINGTON Town maintained their outside chance of a play off place with a hard earned 2-1 win against lowly visitors Ossett Albion.

Victory keeps the Yellows vaguely in touch with the play-off spots, though with a six-point gap to make up having played more games than their rivals, the odds are stacked against them. 

In this, their first meeting of the season, Town manager Shaun Reid made three changes from the previous week's disappointing defeat at Curzon Ashton, with Andy Roberston, Phil Mooney and Jon Newby replacing Matty Urwin, Lee Parle, and Karl Noon in the starting line up.

In what turned out to be a disappointing first half, bereft of many chances, Newby was first to go close when he headed Phil Davies' cross the wrong side of the upright.

Then some good build up play saw Andy Fowler play in Phil Mooney, only to see his shot deflected behind by Ossett defender Kevin Quinn.

Despite being generally in control of the game Town struggled to create chances against such the hard working visitors, Newby watching his weak header easily saved by Ossett keeper Jody Barford.

The second half started as the first half had ended, with Town in general control of the game.

But unlike in the first half they began to create dangerous opportunities, Fowler curling a shot narrowly wide of the upright before Doran saw his well-hit cross narrowly missed by the on-rushing Phil Mooney.

Twelve minutes into the half and Town got the goal their domination deserved.

Ciaran Kilheeney was played through before powerfully dispatching past Barford and into the bottom corner.

They should have doubled their lead two minutes later when Fowler rounded Barford before shooting over the wide-open goal.

They came to regret that miss after Ossett almost got back into the game, Robertson missing a ball into the box only to see striker Adam Muller's shot blocked on the line by defender James McCarten.

Instead Yellows killed off the game with just over a quarter of an hour remaining, Doran receiving a pull back from Miles before dispatching a fine long range curling effort beyond Barford and into the bottom corner.

Ossett grabbed a consolation goal with five minutes remaining after defender Tyrone Gay headed home a free kick in a packed penalty area, but Town's rearguard withheld the late assault to earn a deserved three-point haul.